The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-02-17
E-OORNERED FIGHT.
A White Man. Seven Indians and Three
Bears.

White Man. Seven Indians and Three |
Bears.
The 3rd of June / was alone in
the Salmon river mountains, Idaho
in a long, narrow, winding val
ley, varying in width from ten to
fifty feet. 1 had horse, two pack
mules, rife, two revolvers, and
plenty Of food and ammunition.
While cooking breakfast, a mon
ster grizzly, the first one seen dur
ing the winter, suddenly appeared
within 200 feet of my campfire,
coming up the winding valley from
the south. l was between him and
the horses, but the latter were so
terrified that had they not been so
stoutly staked they would have
made their escape. The bear halted,
stared sat me with curious eyes,
shifted the air, grew uneasy after
few minutes, and finally numbered
off down the valley, out of sight.
| was thoroughly glad to be rid of
Bruin, but before | had finished
my breakfast he returned and
brought two other grizzlies with
him, all full grown. The horse was
wild withss terror, and the mules
were so overcome that they lay
down with weakness. l piled on
the brush, and as the fire blazed
and cracked the bears looked
alarmed and galloped of, looking
back as If to see slf they werepur-
sued. The sight of flame and
smoke kept them from attacking
me, but | was by no means salts
fed that they would abandon the
field. The only plan to save the
horses was to build another fire
above them. In one spot the valley
narrowed until it was not more than
eight feet wide, and here l built a
solid fire. of heavy limbs-one which
would last whole day. A quarter
of mile below the camp l found
another good spot, and built anoth,
er fire, and then felt comparati vely
safe.
| l did not leave the camp that
day, and the day and night passed
without an alarm of any sort. This
put me in good spirits, and l per
mitted the fires to die down to great
beds of Goals, which would retain
their heat all day, and soon after
breakfast shouldered my rifle and
started off down the valley to pros
poet and investigate.
At the end of about five miles the
valley suddenly broaded OR de-
bouched into another. This larger
valley opened in from the broad
plains, and was mile long. l haC
no sooner rounded a mass of rock
and earth and brought the larger
valley into view than my ears were
greeted with terrible yell. Right
before me, and not over a quarter
Of a mile away, were seven or eli 9 b.
indians surrounding a small camp
fire, withs their ponies grazing near.
AS The Indians sprang to theil
feet, l turned to the right anc
dashed into a ravine opening into
the mountain itself There was
stream running down it from til,
melting snow, but presently I founc
a fairly beaten path running alons
up the ravine and winding through
the trees.
When had gone up the ravin,
300 feet l found further progress
impossible. Right before me wa
an opening into the cliff into which
man on horseback could have en-
tered, while the width was all O
twenty feet. l dashed into til,
place to find myself in large cham
Der. The light was very dim, bu
| saw two drifts leading off from
this further INTO the mountain.
} was after secure hiding place, AM
dashed into the right hand drift
without a moments hesitation.
} The Indians were so close on n,
heels as I entered the dark drift
that the foremost opened fire will
his revolver, and the whole pacl
yelled like tends. The reader VIII
; has seen the entrance to a coal
mine, slanting into the darkness
from the start, can form al idea 0
The drift | had plunged into. Th
grade was very steep, and the bot
tom SO rough | fell down twice il
going twenty five feet. That was a
far as l went. The drift was no
over three feet wide, and onl
one of the indians could come in a
. a time.
AS I turned at bay, the foremos
Indian was entering the drift
While he was looking toward tn
> darkness I was looking toward th
light, and the first shot from m
revolver pierced his brain and kille'
him as dead as a stone. AS b
J. fell l fired again, and wounded th
warrior behind him. I knew TIL
! from the manner in which the fe
low yelled.
All now became as silent as deaf
E and not a sound was made for
; quarter of an hour. How far bac
the drift extended / had no mean
of knowing, and instead Of seekiu
) to ascertain, | crept to within tie
, feet of the mouth. l had a Win
chester and two revolvers, an
could have killed Indians all da
II long had they sought to enter th
drift. But one warning wa
enough. They knew of a safer wa
&c to get at me.
d BY and by I heard the cracklin
: Of flames, and smelled smoke, an
II directly after that heap of burn
: ing brush was pushed to the en-
Il trs nee Of the drift with long poll
They were going to smoke me out
[ confess to making up my min
that my hours were nun bered, BIT
!. 1 sshad given way sto despair to
: soon. The draughtof the drift wa
outward from the chamber, q
might have been expected, and NJ
a Whit of smoke could be driven i
] at me. The game was soon aban
n doned for another. A rock larg